Pillow with Concealed Storage Compartment

ABSTRACT

A pillow in which comprises a storage compartment which can be accessed by putting one&#39;s arm into a pillow mouth opening generally central to the front side of a pillow. In a preferred embodiment, an opening cover is provided which serves to further conceal the pillow mouth. Preferably, a sash which circumscribes the pillow is employed, and a user may put his or her hand under the sash to access the pillow mouth and the storage compartment to which it leads. The compartment may store any objects and is desirable for storage of items that need to be hidden but readily accessible such as contraceptives, self-defense items, or household objects such as remote controls or keys.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of pillows containing a storagecompartment within which to store various items.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention according to FIG. 1 withthe sash and clasp removed;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the invention according to FIG. 1 illustratingthe pocket within the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention according to FIG. 1illustrating the seams of the interior pocket.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Herein disclosed is a pillow or cushion in which is constructed aconcealed centrally accessible storage compartment. The compartment maybe used to store any objects a user wishes to be conveniently located tothe area where such objects will be used, while providing easilyaccessibility to the user while remaining concealed from orinconspicuous to other persons who may come into to the area. Thecompartment is concealed from view because it is integral to a commonhousehold object, namely a pillow or other cushion but it is notimmediately conveyed upon casual observation by such others that thepillow has a storage compartment. The pillow may be placed upon a bed orother conventional locations in a household and in such placementappears to serve solely a decorative purpose. The proximity of theinvention to the location of use of the stored objects allows forconvenient access for situations in which rapid retrieval of storedobjects is desirable or necessary. Examples of objects which may beadvantageously stored in the invention include, but are not limited to:contraceptive items such as condoms, other items which may be used inmarital relations, and/or toiletries. Other items could includeself-defense items such as pepper sprays that a homeowner may want tohave at hand in case of a home intrusion. Items commonly lost in ahousehold but used in locations where pillows or cushions are commonlyplaced include remote controls, guides and keys. These items may also beconveniently stored in the invention, keeping them handy for the userbut hidden from others who are not aware of the storage compartment.

Hereafter, the invention will be referred to as a pillow, although itshould be understood that it may also be a cushion or any item whichcommonly contains stuffing matter which can surround the compartment asdescribed.

A preferred embodiment of the pillow comprises an outer casing whichitself comprises a back side and a front side. The front side comprisesa left portion and a right portion. Each of the back side and the frontside portions has an outer side and an inner side. Each of the left andright portions has a top edge, a bottom edge, a side edge and a centeredge. The assembled product has the preferred dimensions of from about13 to 20 inches long to about 13 to 26 inches wide. Most preferred arestandard bed pillow sizes and half standard bed pillow sizes which areconventionally utilized in most home décor.

In a preferred construction method, the outer side portions of said leftand right portions of said front side are placed adjacent one another,center edges together and two seams are sewn which secure said left andright portions to one another along the center edge. The first of saidtwo seams runs along the center edge from the top edge to from about 7inches to about 3.5 inches from the midpoint of the center edge, and thesecond of said two seams runs along the bottom edge from the bottom edgeto about 7 inches to about 3.5 inches from the midpoint of the centeredge, thus defining a pillow mouth edge generally in the center of thepillow, said pillow mouth edge from about 4 inches wide to about 8inches wide.

A pocket portion preferably formed of a rectangular piece of cloth hasthe dimensions from about 4″×8″ to about 8″×14″. This rectangular pocketportion has a continuous edge and a lining side and an inner side. Thelining side is intended to lie adjacent any stored objects and the innerside is intended to lie adjacent stuffing that will be used in thepillow. The lining side of the pocket portion continuous edge ispreferably secured to the outer side of the pillow mouth edge by sewingor by another attachment means such as fabric adhesive. After thisoperation is complete, a front subassembly has been created. The frontsubassembly has a central seam running from the top edge to the pillowmouth opening and a central seam running from the pillow mouth openingto the bottom edge. The unfinished edges of the central seam are locatedadjacent the inner side of the front portion. The pillow mouth openinghas a pocket secured thereto.

In the next step of the preferred assembly method, the front subassemblyis secured to the pillow back. This may be done by putting the outersides adjacent one another and forming a seam nearly all the way aroundthe outer edges, leaving a small unstitched or unsecured area which willallow the outer sides to be pulled through, thus forming a pillow casingwith finished seams and an opening. Stuffing material is then insertedinto the opening until the desired degree of cushioning is achieved. Thestorage compartment will be preferably surrounded on all sides bystuffing material in order to conceal any stored contents from theoutside of the pillow. Once the desired amount of stuffing is inserted,the opening can be closed by methods used in the pillow making art, suchas slip stitching.

In an alternative construction method, the front subassembly isconstructed as described, but the pocket portion is either not securedor only partially secured to the pillow mouth opening. The front side ofthe pillow can be secured to the back side, outer sides together with aseam sewn completely around the outer edges. The pillow mouth opening orpartial opening can then be used to turn out the outer sides, and can beused for receiving the stuffing. The pocket portion can then becompletely secured to the pillow mouth opening by sewing or gluing.

In another embodiment, the side seams are eliminated by constructing thepillow out of a single length of cloth having two side edges so that theside edges meet to form the center of the front edge of the pillow.Seams may be sewn or made via other means along the top and bottom edgeof the pillow with the outer side of the cloth together and then turned.Raw edges are placed at the center front of the pillow and the centerseams are then created via hand sewing or other attachment means, suchas fabric glue, in such as way that the pillow mouth opening is created.The pocket portion is then attached to the pillow mouth opening bystitching or fabric glue, or any other means which will create thestructure desired.

In another alternate embodiment, the pillow may be constructed in around shape, with both the front side and the back side secured to eachother as outlined above. In this embodiment, the circumference of thepillow will be from about 40 inches to about 114 inches.

In all of the steps described, additional steps may be employed such asclipping the raw seams or corners to provide a smoother outer seam afterturning the outer side, and other techniques known to the art. Eachembodiment includes stuffing which supports the concealed portion of thepocket portion.

Once the pillow has been constructed, the pillow mouth opening in thefront side can be easily accessed by the human hand to store andretrieve objects. Preferably, the stored items are better concealed bythe stuffing surrounding the pocket portion.

It is also desirable to conceal the opening so that only the user knowsthat the pillow has a storage compartment. One way to conceal theopening is to place the pillow so that the front side which has theopening is next to bedding and the back side faces any observers.Preferably, however, the opening faces upwardly with the back side nextto bedding and the pillow further comprises an opening cover comprisinga piece of cloth which conceals the opening. The opening cover may beattached to the pillow with any removable fastener, such as fasteningtape consisting opposing hook and pile interlocking material, such asVelcro brand fastening tape, or any other fasteners which will allow theopening cover to be at least partially removed so that a user may accessthe storage areas.

Most preferably, the opening cover is a sash having two ends, which sashcircumscribes the width of the pillow. The two ends of the sash may bepassed through a buckle or secured together with a fastening means.Preferably, the sash is of sufficient length to allow a decorativebuckle to be used with one sash end visible on the outside of the pillowand the other sash end tucked underneath the sash. When a sash is used,access to the compartment is convenient as a user may reach under thesash directly into the pillow mouth opening and retrieve items storedthere. The sash in this embodiment need not be removed from the pillowin order for the user to access the compartment, but it effectivelyserves to conceal the opening. In this embodiment, the sash comprises asingle piece of fabric measuring from about 24 inches to about 46 inchesin length and from about 8 inches to about 26 inches in width. A partialsash may be employed which does not circumscribe the pillow but is onlyon the side of the opening. In this embodiment, two lengths of a sashmay be sewn into the outer edge seam so that they can be tied togetheror run through a buckle over the pillow mouth opening. In the saidembodiment, the lengths of sash comprise two separate pieces of fabriceach measuring from about 6 inches to about 12 inches in length and fromabout 8 inches to about 26 inches in width. A single length may be used,sewn in one seam of the pillow, and secured to the pillow front itselfin the area below the pillow mouth opening. For example, a button may beattached to the pillow near the bottom seam, and the single length mayhave a button hole which secures to the button.

The pillow of the invention is preferably constructed of decorativematerial to complement the decor of the user's home, such as thebedspread or comforter used in the bedroom or the fabric used on aliving room sofa or chair, for example. Preferred materials are: silk,satin, polyester, or any other material with similar tactile andaesthetic qualities. The pocket compartment may be made of the same or adifferent material from the rest of the pillow. For example, it may bedesirable to utilize a heavy duty fabric or industrial fabric for thepillow compartment if heavy objects such as remote controls orself-defense items are to be stored there.

The following Figures are provided to better illustrate the preferredembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention from aperspective view. In this embodiment, the pillow (1) is girdled by asash (2) which is in turn held on by the clasp (4). Friction isresponsible for keeping the sash in place on the outer casing (3).However, it can be appreciated that the sash may be secured to thepillow if desired by means of fastening tape, small stitches, or otherfasteners to keep the sash from separating from the pillow or to betterkeep it in place. Ideally, if attachment is desired, the sash can besecured to the back of the pillow to allow for greater aesthetics on thefront, but such attachment can occur at any location along the pillow.

In this view, the pillow appears to be an ornamental object suitable forplacement on a bed or other location within a household. In thisembodiment, the bottom seam (9A) and top seam (9B) are clearly visibleon the long ends of the pillow.

FIG. 2 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention from aperspective view. The sash (not visible) has been removed to clearlyexpose the center seam (6) which bisects the front side of the pillow(1) on a line essentially equidistant from both short ends of thepillow. The center seam is discontinuous in the middle of the pillow,thereby defining the pillow mouth (7). Inside the mouth the pocketlining (8A) is visible. Pocket (8) is illustrated with phantom linesinside the pillow. The top edge of pocket lining 8A is attached

FIG. 3 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention from a side viewfacing the bottom seam (9A). Pocket (8) is illustrated with phantomlines inside the pillow (1). Inside pocket is a box (10) to illustrate apotential use of pocket. Around the center of the pillow the sash (2)can be seen secured via the clasp (4).

FIG. 4 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention from aperspective view. Pillow (1) is illustrated with phantom lines exceptfor pocket (8). Pocket lining (8A) is marked with lines indicating seamsof pocket inside the invention.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in a circularform. In this view, a partial sash is employed as an opening cover andone of the lengths is turned back to illustrate the position of thepillow mouth opening (7). This type of partial sash may be used onrectangular styles of pillows as well. Although other closures may beused, the illustration shows a button (12) and buttonhole (10).

1. A pillow having a concealed compartment, comprising a front side anda back side secured to one another at side edges, said front side havinga pillow mouth opening located inwardly from the side edges, said pillowmouth opening attached to a compartment which is adapted to receiveitems for storage, said compartment surrounded by stuffing material. 2.The pillow of claim 1, wherein said front side comprises a left portionand a right portion each having an outer side and an inner side, a topedge, a bottom edge, a side edge and a center edge and wherein said leftand right portions are secured to each other along said center edge withtwo seams, one of said seams extending from said top edge downward andthe other extending from said bottom edge upward, each of said seamshaving a length which ends so that a pillow mouth opening is defined insaid front portion along said center edge.
 3. The pillow of claim 1,wherein said compartment is formed from a rectangular piece of materialfrom about 4″×8″ to about 8″×14″ and wherein said pillow dimensions areabout 16 inches to about 34 inches in length and from about 5 inches toabout 14 inches in width.
 4. The pillow of claim 1, wherein saidcompartment is formed from a piece of material which is circular inshape and wherein said pillow has a circumference from about 36 inchesto about 57 inches.
 5. The pillow of claim 1, further comprising anopening cover.
 6. The pillow of claim 5, wherein said opening cover is apiece of cloth which serves to conceal the pillow mouth from a viewerwhen the pillow is displayed in an area.
 7. The pillow of claim 6,wherein said opening cover is a sash which circumvents the pillow. 8.The pillow of claim 7, wherein said sash is employed such that a usercan reach under it without removing it and access the storagecompartment.
 9. A pillow having a concealed compartment, comprising afront side and a back side secured to one another at side edges, saidfront side having a pillow mouth opening located inwardly from the sideedges, said pillow mouth opening attached to a compartment which isadapted to receive items for storage, said compartment surrounded bystuffing material, wherein said front side comprises a left portion anda right portion each having an outer side and an inner side, a top edge,a bottom edge, a side edge and a center edge and wherein said left andright portions are secured to each other along said center edge with twoseams, one of said seams extending from said top edge downward and theother extending from said bottom edge upward, each of said seams havinga length which ends so that a pillow mouth opening is defined in saidfront portion along said center edge, wherein said compartment is formedfrom a rectangular piece of material from about preferably formed of arectangular piece of cloth having the dimensions from about 4″×8″ toabout 8″×14″ wherein said pillow is rectangular and has the dimensionsof about 16 inches to about 34 inches in length and from about 5 inchesto about 14 inches in width.
 10. The pillow of claim 9, furthercomprising an opening cover.
 11. The pillow of claim 10, wherein saidopening cover is a piece of cloth which serves to conceal the pillowmouth from a viewer when the pillow is displayed in an area.
 12. Thepillow of claim 11, wherein said opening cover is a sash whichcircumvents the pillow.
 13. The pillow of claim 12, wherein said sash isemployed such that a user can reach under it without removing it andaccess the storage compartment.
 14. A pillow subassembly, comprising afront side comprises a left portion and a right portion each having anouter side and an inner side, a top edge, a bottom edge, a side edge anda center edge and wherein said left and right portions are secured toeach other along said center edge with two seams, one of said seamsextending from said top edge downward and the other extending from saidbottom edge upward, each of said seams having a length which ends sothat a pillow mouth opening is defined in said front portion along saidcenter edge, and a compartment comprising material secured to saidpillow mouth opening.
 15. The pillow subassembly of claim 14, whereinsaid compartment material is formed from a rectangular piece of materialfrom about from about 4″×8″ to about 8″×14″.
 16. A method for storingitems in a concealed matter at or near the putative place of use,comprising the steps of: (a) providing a pillow having a concealedcompartment, comprising a front side and a back side secured to oneanother at side edges, said front side having a pillow mouth openinglocated inwardly from the side edges, said pillow mouth opening attachedto a compartment which is adapted to receive items for storage, saidcompartment surrounded by stuffing material, wherein said front sidecomprises a left portion and a right portion each having an outer sideand an inner side, a top edge, a bottom edge, a side edge and a centeredge and wherein said left and right portions are secured to each otheralong said center edge with two seams, one of said seams extending fromsaid top edge downward and the other extending from said bottom edgeupward, each of said seams having a length which ends so that a pillowmouth opening is defined in said front portion along said center edge,wherein said compartment is formed from a piece of material havingcompartment edges, said compartment edges secured to said pillow mouthopening; (b) storing objects in said compartment; (c) retrieving saidobjects at a convenient time by inserting one's hand into said pillowmouth opening and grasping said object and bringing it out of saidcompartment for use.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said objectsare contraceptives.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said objects areuseful for self-defense from intruders.
 19. The method of claim 16,wherein said objects are household objects.
 20. The method of claim 16,wherein said pillow is decorative and further comprises a sash whichcircumscribes said pillow and is passed through a buckle.